Short-staffed Durham 911 Center struggles with slow answer times despite new hires By Sarah Kreugar DURHAM, North Carolina (WRAL, WRAL DT) — For months the staffing shortage at Durham’s 911 Center has led to delays in responding to emergency calls, as well as call handlers who told WRAL News that they are overworked and exhausted. For a while, some emergency calls even had to be routed through the Wake-Raleigh 911 Center because Durham’s lacked the staff to handle the call volume. The call center has hired begun training four new employees in the past month, a move leaders says will relieve some of the pressure.